I don't know how cold the air coming out of the rear evap. was supposed to get from the factory (and since I don't have one, I can't even test it.) But FTM on YouTube says Ford systems of this vintage should get that cold at the dash if they're working properly. Some difference between the front and rear seems reasonable to expect.

You're right though in general - at least when they're new and/or working like new, one thing we've come to expect from American cars and trucks is COLD A/C (and hot heat) - right away, and as much as you want - and this goes all the way back to the 1950's, '60's, '70s and even '80s when european cars had awful A/C (you'd be cooler with some ice cubes in a sock on your forehead.) Even in the "darkest days" of American cars during the '70s, when we were torturing 180 wheezing horsepower from a massive 7.0 liter Cadillac Eldorado V8, the one sin manufacturers couldn't commit was an air conditioning system that wouldn't freeze the ***** off the (apocryphal!) brass monkey.

I know for a fact that Audi used AC Delco climate controls - straight out of GM cars - in their 5000 models during '80s because they wanted REAL A/C and didn't want to reinvent the wheel. The climate controls on the dashboard of an '88 5000CS Turbo Quattro (top of the line) are straight out of a Cadillac, as is almost all the rest of the system except for the shape of the vents.

We need some '05-'09 owners to speak up with any measurements they might have taken over the years.

Does anyone know the engineering spec. for the actual cooling capacity as they were built?

 

By the way, Ford Tech Makuloco has a series of A/C tech tips on his YouTube channel. They're a little disorganized but there's a lot of good general info. there.

 

It's definitely not cold enough. He should be in the 40s. Testing with the gauges is needed. Not going to burn the pack, maybe reduce it's life a tiny bit. The 10 and up is much much worse for cooling just the battery. Probably have to replace the same stuff I'm going to. Condenser, drier, txv and the little valve in the compressor.

 

Ugh that's what I was worried about. Something I'll have to get to in the fall when I've got enough cash. Thanks for your knowledge.

Any suggestions on getting the drier off the firewall? Buddy and I were cussing at it for about two hours and couldn't get it off. Ended up vacuuming it for an hour longer to get the water out.

 

Heh, not yet. It's just supposed to unbolt and come off. My replacement came without the plastic/mount and what was suggested was to crack it open and use zip ties. If you can pull the metal part out without removing the bracket you don't have to get it off the firewall.

 

Do you not have the first generation? My drier runs a line to the firewall to the evaporator (I'm assuming) and another a little down the line from the low side port the top side one was tough but we got it, but the bottom refused to budge. I wanted to PB b'last the **** out of it but he said it wouldn't do anything. These spring hvac connections are a hassle.

 

d'oh. I have an 09. I thought they were similar but maybe not? I have a TXV between the drier and the evaporator. I'm guessing you have the orifice tube then? My connectors are just a bolt and a seal. In a drained system with no more pressure I'd have heated it with a butane torch. Removing the evaportor is PITA on any car but I wouldn't want a used up drier in the system.

 

Weird thing...orifice tube is basically above the compressor Then there's a weird manifold thing between the drier and the compressor that I have no idea what it is.

Lifted this pic off another post. Weird thing about this manifold thing is that the tube going to the compressor was almost warm.. the horizontal bit was cold.

 

Weird thing...orifice tube is basically above the compressor Then there's a weird manifold thing between the drier and the compressor that I have no idea what it is.

Lifted this pic off another post. Weird thing about this manifold thing is that the tube going to the compressor was almost warm.. the horizontal bit was cold.

 

I'll bet you have a clogged condenser. You need to put some gauges on it and take a look at this video. Also, the dessicant packs in the receiver/driers on these cars are known to rupture and then spread their horror throughout all the A/C system.

Soemtimes the condenser gets clogged because previous owners have tried throwing "stop leak" into the system time after time and finally the condenser gets clogged after they've stopped all the leaks but also succeeded in stopping the whole thing.